Mammy

"Mammy" is an alternate spelling of "mother", used most prominently by African American slaves during the 1800s. During the 20th century, "mammy" came to define a racial stereotype of a black woman as being heavyset, matronly, a maid and/or cook, and having a no-nonsense approach to life. It is now considered an ethnic slur when used towards a black woman.

Related Topics:
Mother - African American - Slave - 1800s - Racial stereotype - Maid - Cook - Ethnic slur

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A number of variations and usage of the "mammy" character became prominent in pop culture during the pre-civil rights period Among the most notable examples are:

Related Topics:
Prominent in pop culture - Civil rights

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• Aunt Jemima, a mascot for Quaker Oats's "Aunt Jemima" brand pancakes, pancake flour, and syrup.
• "Mammy" cookie jars.
• "Mammy" was a song performed in the 1927 Warner Bros. film The Jazz Singer by Al Jolson in blackface.
• Mammy was a 1930 film, based on the play "Mr. Bones" by Irving Berlin. The film stars Al Jolson.
• Mammy was a key character in the 1939 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer film Gone with the Wind, played by Hattie McDaniel. McDaniel won an Oscar for her performance.
• Mammy Two-Shoes is the character name for the black maid, voiced by Lillian Randolph, in MGM's Tom and Jerry cartoons. Her moniker derives from the fact that she is almost always seen only from the torso down. She was later replaced by a white woman, oddly enough, after complaints of racial tension.

Though produced years after the mammy was deemed inapproprite for American works, the 1999 video game Chrono Cross features a playable character named "Macha" who is very reminiscent of a mammy character. She is a portly black housewife who tolerates no sass from her children. She also fights with a frying pan and can fold enemies like laundry. In the game's original Japanese version, Macha was called "Mamacha," which perhaps alludes even more to her status as a mammy character.

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However, in Ireland, "mammy" is not a racial slur but what a lot of people call their mothers.

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